Editing Northern Mariana Islands (section)

==Demographics==
{{main|Demographics of the Northern Mariana Islands}}
{{see also|List of U.S. states and territories by population}}
{{US Census population
|1960=8286
|1970=9436
|1980=16780
|1990=43345
|2000=69221
|2010=53883
|2020=47329}}

According to the 2020 census, the population of the CNMI was 47,329, down from 69,221 in 2000.<ref name=census2020/> The decrease was reportedly due to a combination of factors, including the demise of the garment industry (the vast majority of whose employees were females from China), economic crises, and a decline in tourism, one of the CNMI's primary sources of revenue.<ref name=ST />

As of the 2020 Census, except for the [[United States Minor Outlying Islands|U.S. Minor Outlying Islands]], the Northern Mariana Islands are the second least populous sub-federal jurisdiction in the United States, next to [[American Samoa]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/2010census/news/pdf/cb11cn178_ia_cnmi_totalpop_2010map.pdf |title=Census map |date=2010 |website=Census.gov}}</ref> However, the islands population has fluctuated over time hitting 80 thousand in 2000, then declining to around 50 thousand in the 2010s. In 1986, when the people of the CNMI became U.S. citizens, it had a population of about 36 thousand. In 1950, the population was about 7 thousand.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.macrotrends.net/countries/MNP/northern-mariana-islands/population |title=Northern Mariana Islands Population 1950–2023 |access-date=October 8, 2023}}</ref> For comparison, in 1776, the smallest American state by population was Delaware with a population of about 60 thousand.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://247wallst.com/economy/2019/07/04/in-july-1776-2-5-million-people-lived-in-the-thirteen-colonies-and/ |title=In July 1776, 2.5 Million People Lived in the 13 Colonies And ... |date=July 4, 2019 |access-date=October 8, 2023}}</ref>

As of 2020, about 60% of the population are U.S. Citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents, and the other 40% are foreign workers.<ref name="Office">{{Cite web |last=Office |first=U. S. Government Accountability |title=Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands: Recent Workforce Trends and Wage Distribution {{!}} U.S. GAO |url=https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-22-105271 |access-date=2023-10-21 |website=Gao.gov |language=en}}</ref> The United States has a program that monitors the ratio of workers to citizens and the number of lawful residents of different types.<ref name="Office" />

Many Marianans have migrated to the continental US, and moving to the West Coast is slightly more popular. One of the largest communities is in Washington State, with a community of almost 5,000 people from the islands.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-09-23 |title=Analysis {{!}} People are fleeing Puerto Rico, Guam, and every other U.S. territory. What gives? |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/09/23/american-territories-population-loss/ |access-date=2023-10-25 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |language=en}}</ref>

=== Languages ===
The official languages on the Northern Mariana Islands include [[English language|English]], [[Chamorro language|Chamorro]], and [[Carolinian language|Carolinian]]. Few people still speak the nearly extinct [[Tanapag language]]. Many [[Languages of the Philippines|Philippine languages]], Chinese, and other [[Languages of Oceania|Pacific island languages]] are also spoken. [[Spanish language|Spanish]] is still retained in surnames but is no longer commonly used, though it is still familiar to some elders as a third or fourth language.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Solenberger |first=Robert R. |date=1962 |title=The Social Meaning of Language Choice in the Marianas |journal=Anthropological Linguistics |volume=4 |issue=1 |pages=59–64 |jstor=30022346}}</ref>

===Ethnic groups===
<!-- what is the source of this and date?
Austronesian peoples
* 35.3% [[Filipinos|Filipino]]
* 23.9% [[Chamorro people|Chamorro]]
* 4.6% [[Carolinian people|Refaluwasch]]
* 6.4% [[Pacific Islander|Other Pacific Islanders]]
Asian Peoples
* 6.8% [[Chinese people|Chinese]]
* 4.2% [[Korean people|Korean]]
* 3.7% [[Asian People|Other Asians]]
All Other
* 12.7% Multi-racial/multi-ethnic
* 2.4% Unspecified Other -->
[[File:121207-M-BC491-009 (8265095636).jpg|thumb|Northern Marianas students on Tinian in 2012]]
Based on the 2010 census in the CIA World Factbook:<ref>{{Citation |title=Northern Mariana Islands |date=2024-09-27 |work=The World Factbook |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/northern-mariana-islands/#people-and-society |access-date=2024-10-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241007094221/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/northern-mariana-islands/#people-and-society |archive-date=2024-10-07 |url-status=live |publisher=Central Intelligence Agency |language=en}}</ref>

The Northern Marianas is mostly a diverse mix of Asian and Pacific peoples.
*Filipino 35.3%
*Chamorro 23.9%
*Multiracial 12.7% (2 or more backgrounds)
*Chinese 6.8%
*Other Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 6.4%
*Carolinian 4.6%
*Korean 4.2%
*Other Asian 3.7%
*Other 2.5%

===Religion===
[[File:Saipan Mount Carmel Cathedral.JPG|thumb|Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral, Chalan Kanoa]]
Owing to the Spanish [[missionaries]] in the Marianas, a large majority of Chamorros and Carolinians practice [[Roman Catholicism]]. The Japanese occupation created a sizable [[Buddhist]] community which remained even after their departure. Due to the influence of the United States, diverse denominations of [[Protestantism]] also entered the islands. Many people on the Northern Mariana Islands are Roman Catholic or have traditional beliefs.

According to the [[Pew Research Center]], 2010:<ref>{{cite web |title=Religions in Northern Mariana Islands – PEW-GRF |url=http://www.globalreligiousfutures.org/countries/northern-mariana-islands#/?affiliations_religion_id=0&affiliations_year=2010 |url-status=dead |website=GlobalReligiousFutures.org}}</ref>

{{Update section|date=April 2025}}
* [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Chalan Kanoa|Roman Catholic]] 64.1%
* [[Protestants]] 16%
* [[Buddhists]] 10.6%
* Folk religions 5.3%
* Other Christians 1.2%
* Other religions 1.1%
* Unaffiliated 1.0%
* [[Eastern Orthodox]] <1%
* [[Hindu]] <1%
* [[Muslim]] <1%
* Jews <1%
[[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] reported 865 members in a [[ward (LDS Church)|ward]] (congregation) in the Northern Mariana Islands.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/facts-and-statistics/country/northern-mariana-islands |title=Facts and Statistics: Statistics by Country: Northern Mariana Islands |work=Newsroom |publisher=LDS Church |access-date=January 15, 2021}}</ref>

===Education===
The [[Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Public School System]] operates public schools in the commonwealth and there are numerous private schools. [[Northern Marianas College]] is accredited by the [[Western Association of Schools and Colleges]] and offers a range of programs similar to other small U.S. [[community college]]s.